Madam – Your article on the neighbourhood watch last week refers.
Finally! I’m so glad residents are deciding to step up to the plate and not leave everything to the police who probably already have their plates full as it is. Community safety should be a priority, especially for a small community like ours.
While I think most people are aware and have been affected by crime at some time in their lives, too many of us are happy to take a back seat and leave everything to officials in uniform. There is nothing wrong with this, but why are we so passive with our own lives?
A few years ago, my family was robbed at knifepoint at a busy tourist attraction in one of the bigger cities. What’s the catch? While we were all unharmed, the mental scars are still in place. The worst part was the absolute apathy of people who were in the area at the time, and who ignored our cries and pleas for help.
This country has become so suspicious that we’re perfectly content to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the plights of others, for fear of victimisation or being targeted for the same crime too.
It feels like we have lost our empathy, compassion and ultimately, our humanity. Gone are the days when we could pick up a person hitchhiking to another town – now you could be robbed and attacked by the self same people you try to help. Likewise, domestic help is treated with suspicion and caution, because statistics prove many house robberies are instigated by ‘someone on the inside’.
Even our own police force is given a short stick, as many don’t even bother doing their jobs properly. So to those who are taking the initiative and making an effort to protect this wonderful community, I salute you!
Anti-apathetic
